IELTS Vocabulary Quiz — Academic Word List
12 multiple-choice questions on Academic Word List vocabulary tested in IELTS Reading and Writing. B2–C1 level. Perfect for IELTS preparation.
IELTS Vocabulary — FAQ
The Academic Word List (AWL), developed by Averil Coxhead in 2000, is a list of 570 word families that appear frequently across academic texts. These words are essential for understanding academic reading and writing. Knowing the AWL is crucial for IELTS, TOEFL, and university study in English.
Vocabulary is assessed across all four IELTS skills. In Writing, 'Lexical Resource' accounts for 25% of your score. In Reading and Listening, broad vocabulary helps you understand paraphrase — since IELTS questions rarely repeat the exact words from the text. In Speaking, 'Lexical Resource' is also one of the four marking criteria.
In IELTS Reading, correct answers almost never use the exact words from the passage — they use paraphrase. Synonyms are single words with similar meanings (increase/rise/grow), while paraphrase can involve restructuring entire phrases. Recognising paraphrase requires broad vocabulary and understanding meaning in context.
Common mistakes: using the same word repeatedly instead of paraphrasing; using informal language (e.g., 'kids' instead of 'children', 'lots of' instead of 'a significant number of'); spelling errors; confusing similar forms (e.g., 'affect' vs 'effect'); and over-using complex words in the wrong context.
Effective strategies: study the Academic Word List systematically; read academic articles (The Guardian, The Economist) and note unfamiliar words in context; use spaced repetition tools; learn collocations rather than words in isolation; practise paraphrasing IELTS question prompts; and do regular vocabulary quizzes.
For Task 1 (graphs, charts, processes): trend vocabulary (increase, decrease, rise, fall, fluctuate, plateau, peak), comparison language (by contrast, whereas, compared to), approximation (approximately, roughly), proportion words (the majority, a significant proportion), and process vocabulary (is produced, is converted, results in). Avoid casual language like 'go up' — use 'increase' or 'rise'.
For Task 2 (essays): argument vocabulary (argue, contend, assert), cohesive devices (moreover, furthermore, in contrast, nevertheless, consequently), hedging language (it could be argued that, there is evidence to suggest), cause and effect (as a result, due to, leads to), and balanced discussion phrases (on the one hand... on the other hand).
A collocation is a natural word combination: 'make a decision' (not 'do a decision'), 'take into consideration', 'come to a conclusion', 'significant impact'. IELTS examiners assess whether vocabulary is used 'with flexibility and precision' — including correct collocations. Memorising words without their collocates leads to unnatural writing.
'Affect' is almost always a verb meaning to have an impact on something (Pollution affects health). 'Effect' is almost always a noun meaning the result or impact (The effects of pollution on health). Memory trick: Affect = Action (verb); Effect = End result (noun).
'Lexical Resource' is one of the four IELTS Writing and Speaking assessment criteria. It measures: the range of vocabulary you use; accuracy — whether you use words correctly; appropriateness — whether vocabulary suits academic contexts; and paraphrase ability. To score Band 7+, examiners expect flexible and precise vocabulary use with only rare errors.